


The One On Top

by aschicca



Category: Queer as Folk (US)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-23
Updated: 2014-08-23
Packaged: 2018-02-14 09:24:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2186394
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aschicca/pseuds/aschicca
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s just a regular night at Woody’s… but with a particularly shocking revelation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The One On Top

Justin’s artistic eye was caught in the scene in front of him, and he smiled. ‘To an external observer’, he thought, ‘we might seem such an eclectic group.’ Emmett, with his bright orange leather trousers and the see-through green shirt, and a cosmo in his hand, leaned against Ted, dressed in a plain sweater worn on an equally plain pair of brown trousers. They had their heads close together, and they were laughing at something Emmett had just said. They were the ‘singles’ of the night, since Drew and Blake both had previous commitments.

Then there was Justin himself, beige cargo pants and green T-shirt, a shot of Beam in front of him, and his blue eyes were shining, while he watched his friends.

On the other side of Justin, sat Michael. He was wearing black trousers and a red T-shirt and, while sipping his beer, he was looking intently at the pool table, where his husband was playing with Brian. ‘Two of his most favourite sights,’ Justin told himself, amused. Ben, wearing jeans and a tight fitting blue T-shirt, held his cue and looked at Brian… who was currently bent over the pool table preparing to shoot. He still had on his black suit, having come to Woody’s straight from Kinnetik that evening, but he had removed his jacket and rolled his sleeves up on his forearms. Brian’s ass pointed straight to Justin, and he was beginning to share Michael’s fascination with the sight in front of his eyes.

Shaking his head, Justin resumed his musings. Yes, they were a multicolored group, not unlike his latest canvas actually in which, as Brian had put it, “looked like someone had let loose a fucking bomb of colors.” They were a mixture of different tastes, interests and feelings. Yet, they were a family. They completed each other and made each other’s lives better.

And tonight, despite Justin’s sudden seriousness, was just a regular night at Woody’s.

*

“So, Justin, are we going to Babylon later?” Emmett asked, winking.

“Well, you go, Em, if you want to. I’m not feeling up to it tonight.”

“My, this is not like you, baby. Is there something wrong? I never heard you turning down a night of dancing!”

Justin smiled and explained, “I just pulled a muscle, nothing serious but dancing is out of the question for a while.”

“I believe I can imagine which muscle you pulled, sweetie,” Emmett grinned, knowingly. “Care to share with the class? Come on, tell us all about the ‘pulling’!”

Justin laughed but, before he could reply, Michael’s voice came from behind his shoulder. “Are you seriously interested in Justin’s adventures as a bottom, Em? Haven’t we heard, and _seen_ , enough by now?”

Michael’s tone wasn’t sarcastic or mean, more like amused, but there was something that had caught Justin’s ear, and that he felt needed to be explored more. “My adventures as a _bottom_ , Michael?”

“Well, yeah. We all know you’re a bottom boy, Justin.” Michael replied smiling. “Not that there’s something wrong with it, of course.”

“Yeah, Justin,” intervened Ted. “As Emmett’s always saying: ‘it’s not sex…’”

“… without something up your butt!” Finished a cheery Emmett.

“Plus,” Michael started again, “you kinda have to be a bottom, Boy Wonder. After all, you’re with Brian.”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Justin was genuinely puzzled.

“Oh come on, Brian is a top. _The_ top. Everyone knows that!” Michael’s smile was becoming a little annoying. “I mean, of course you topped some of your tricks, I know that, but for the majority of time you’re a big bottom. Welcome to the club!” He finished, raising his beer as in a toast.

Justin sat there for a moment trying to decide if he wanted to laugh in Michael’s face or explain to him exactly why his theory was flawed. Before he could make a decision, though, Emmett spoke again.

“Oh my! I’m just now placing the connection!” He said and then looked straight into Justin’s eyes.

“Uh?” was the best answer Justin could give because, let’s face it, the ‘regular night at Woody’s’ had just turned into an episode of _The Twilight Zone_.

“You pulled a muscle, right? And you only top with tricks, right? So…” Emmett stopped, looked around warily, then in a lowered voice continued, “Does this mean you pulled that muscle with a trick?”

Ted and Michael looked pointedly at Justin, waiting for an answer, while Emmett’s concerned eyes kept boring into him.

“Since when is me fucking a trick reason for secrecy?” Justin truly didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Anyway, if you really want to know, I pulled a muscle _in my back_ while I was lifting a very heavy canvas. And before you say anything about that, you should know that Brian already lectured me so you can save your breath.”

“Oh baby!” Emmett squealed, before kissing Justin’s cheek. Ted was shaking his head, and Michael… Michael just sat there with a satisfied, knowing grin.

“What?” Justin asked to Michael.

“Nothing. You just proved what I was saying. JT is, and always will be, Rage’s bottom. It’s good to be right.”

“What exactly makes you think that Rage wouldn’t enjoy a cock up his ass, too?” All right, so Justin hadn’t meant to actually say that, but he was getting tired of Michael’s hints to his supposed bottom qualities. Well, not that Justin didn’t have qualities as a bottom. He was fucking great and he knew it. Plus, bottoming for Brian was not something _anyone_ wouldn’t enjoy… especially when Brian was in one of his moods and decided he’d make Justin come countless times before he allowed himself to come. Justin sighed, eyes a bit glassy, and he wished he could be in bed, experiencing one of these nights, right that moment.

But he was saying something, wasn’t he? What was he saying? Bottom… Brian… oh, yeah! Justin looked at Michael and had to laugh at the way his friend’s mouth was hanging open and his eyes were widened. Emmett’s expression wasn’t so different from Michael’s. Ted’s… well, Ted just looked serenely at Justin, making him think he knew more than he let on. Some times, Justin marvelled at how close Ted had become to both Brian and himself – especially to Brian. 

Michael, apparently choosing to dismiss Justin’s last sentence, said, “Justin, I’m Brian’s best friend, I know all about him. He is a top, full stop. He would never let anyone top him!” Michael said all that smiling, willing Justin to understand he spoke just from experience, not to hurt him.

“I’m not just _anyone_ , Michael.”

“What the fuck are you ladies talking about?” The game of pool had ended, and Brian and Ben had come to join the others at the bar. No one had heard them approach, though, so Brian’s voice, coming from behind them, startled everyone.

Justin turned around to face Brian, and replied, “We were talking about your ass.” Then he grinned, but it was forced.

“Sunshine, have I taught you nothing? My cock is a _much_ better subject for a conversation.” Brian’s tongue-in-cheek grin and the playful wink in his eyes relaxed Justin, who smiled back. “So,” Brian continued, “what about my ass?”

“Oh, you know, we were talking tops, bottoms… pulled muscles. Nothing serious.” Emmett answered casually.

At the words ‘pulled muscles’, Brian got closer to Justin, placed his hands on Justin’s back and started massaging gently. But his voice was sarcastic when he asked, “And what does all this have to do with _my_ ass?”

“Exactly!” A triumphant Michael exclaimed. “That’s what I was trying to tell Justin. You won’t ever bottom, not to anyone.” 

Brian looked at Michael for a brief while, then his attention shifted and he stared into Justin’s blue eyes. The gang watched in fascination at the unmistakable silent conversation that was going on between the two of them: Brian looked at Justin questioningly, Justin shook his head, then Brian’s eyes held a new question, one that Justin seemed to understand immediately (even if no one else did), and to which he replied with one of his hands on Brian’s chest; after what seemed like a long time, Brian nodded and Justin’s trademark smile made his first appearance of the night on his face.

“Justin’s not just anyone, Mikey.” Brian said, his eyes never leaving Justin’s.

“What? What does this mean, Brian?” Michael’s shock was clear in his voice. He knew what Brian was saying, but he still couldn’t believe it was possible. “Brian?” Michael asked again when he realized Brian wasn’t going to answer him.

“I believe we all know what Brian means, Michael,” Ted said, gentleness in his voice, clearly asking Michael to let it go. 

After that, Ben’s arms around his husband were all it took. Michael let the subject drop (and possibly decided to erase the entire conversation from his mind, especially the part where he _pictured_ the scene Brian’s words had conjured) and relaxed in Ben’s arms. He didn’t care about Brian’s bed habits, anyway. Not anymore, not in the way he had once cared.

Emmett, on the other hand, had other ideas. “Oohh, isn’t this a revelation? Come, Brian, do tell.”

“Well, let’s just say the lad is talented. In everything he does. Why wouldn’t I want to enjoy _all_ his talents?” This earned him a sloppy, deep kiss that, maybe, didn’t completely answer Emmett’s curiosity, but that gave definitely a good hint.

“All right, boys,” a slightly breathless Brian said when the kiss ended. “Time for me to bring the fair Sunshine home and make sure he rests his back.”

“Yeah, I definitely want to _lie on my back_ tonight, Brian.” Justin said, a mischievous glint in his eyes, and the smile suddenly shone brightly on Michael’s face. That was more like it!

“We’re going, too,” intervened Ben. “Hunter’s watching JR for us but we should really go and check on them.” Everyone, Ben and Michael included, laughed at Brian’s gagging noises.

“What about you, Em?” Justin asked. “Going to Babylon?”

“What do you say, Teddy? Feel like shaking your ass a bit?” Emmett looked questioningly at his best friend.

“Are you all trying to make me heave my dinner, tonight? Theodore’s ass is just what I needed after the disgusting domestic picture Mr. and Mrs. Novotny-Bruckner described. Thanks a fucking lot.”

“Thanks, Bri,” smiled Ted, and no one was surprised to see an equal smile grace Brian’s features. Brian’s sarcasm was always tinted with affection nowadays. “Actually, Em, I think I’d better go home. At risk of having Brian puke on my shoes right here, I’ll tell you that I want to go home and wait for Blake.”

Brian hid his face in Justin's shoulder pretending to be stifling a bout of nausea, and making, once again, everyone laugh in the process.

The gang exited together and then separated outside. Everyone had places to go, things to do, loved ones to take care of. That was the end of what, despite all the revelations, had clearly just been a regular night at Woody’s.


End file.
